Neato. I like the sound - it's got a great little internal mic. This video is a good example - it's picking up the birds in the background ( http://davidleeking.com/etc/2008/06/13/walking-in-phoenix/) pretty well. It gets overpowered pretty easily, so if something's loud, it WILL distort - there's no volume knob. The HD1A (I'm guessing the HD2 or whatever the new models' called, too) has an external mic jack, which gives a little more control.
No, I've not heard the motor noise when zooming (though it might very well be there - I just haven't noticed it). Yes - we SHOULD put this stuff int he wiki - good idea! David King davidleeking.com - blog davidleeking.com/etc - videoblog On Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 5:54 PM, Rupert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Cool! Thank you. > Interesting. You might have just influenced my next choice of > Camera.... > Assuming it will work in final cut *pro* 4 & leopard, which is what I > have. > thanks! > i guess we should store this kind of info in the wiki. > how's the sound on the HD1a? Does it have the problems with motor > noise that some of the older Xactis have? > > > On 17-Jun-08, at 3:24 PM, David King wrote: > > Let's see... I usually shoot at 640X480, but sometimes choose one of > the HD > settings. I have a newer Mac Book Pro (about a year old). > > To get the thing on my mac, I usually put the SD card into a usb card > reader, and upload all the pics and video files together into iPhoto, > then > drag the videos out that I want to use and delete the rest. I'm able to > drag/drop the video file from a folder right into the bin in FCE. > > It's FCE 4.0, and it's OSX Leopard (I update it regularly). > > Hope that helps! > > David King > davidleeking.com - blog > davidleeking.com/etc - videoblog > > On Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 5:15 PM, Rupert <[EMAIL > PROTECTED]<rupert%40fatgirlinohio.org>> > > wrote: > > > Great! I'm happy to hear that there's a Xacti MP4 file that does > > work in a Final Cut product without conversion, but I have to say > > it's the exception. I wonder why. The HD1a is an HD camera, unlike > > most of the Xactis I've come across. Are you shooting in HD or at > > 640x480, and what spec of mac are you using? > > I'm not just making it up - and it's not just on my system - over the > > last year or so I've noticed a *lot* people complain about this - as > > Neil did in his message just now. I don't know anybody with a Xacti > > who's been able to make it work properly - at best it causes FCP to > > grind slowly, at worst to crash completely. The same for non-Xacti > > p&s cameras & cellphones, as I said. > > Rupert > > > > On 17-Jun-08, at 2:20 PM, David King wrote: > > > > Rupert... I use a Xacti HD1A and the newest version of FCE, and > have no > > problems whatsoever with the MP4 files. Just sayin... > > > > David King > > davidleeking.com - blog > > http://davidleeking.com/etc - videoblog > > > > On Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 4:10 PM, Rupert > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <rupert%40fatgirlinohio.org><rupert% > 40fatgirlinohio.org>> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > Well... aha! Tying into the other thread about Macs versus PCs... > > > > > > If you're shooting on a Xacti (or any other camera or phone which > > > stores video as MP4 files on memory cards), then in my opinion > you're > > > better off cutting on a PC with Sony Vegas. Vegas (which a lot > > > cheaper than FCP but just as good for 90% of jobs) will take your > > > files AS THEY ARE, with no importing or conversion necessary. This > > > can save HOURS. As you say, Neil, if you have three hours of > > > footage, then you need around three hours for conversion. WTF. All > > > because Apple can't make FCP work with MP4 properly. > > > > > > But that's not all. When you convert your MP4 files for use in FCP, > > > after you've waited all that time, you'll find that their image > > > quality may be impaired by the conversion from 640x480 to a .dv > > > file. Particularly a NTSC .dv file, which has a different ratio. > > > > > > Vegas cuts the files *as they are* - it will match the sequence > > > settings to the clip, not vice versa. For people shooting on Xactis > > > or little digital point-and-shoot cameras or mobile phones, > Vegas is, > > > in my opinion, a much more user-friendly experience. Shoot, cut, > > save. > > > > > > I say this as a 8-9 year user of FCP and a life-long Mac user. > Apple > > > have dropped the ball in the important area of non-DV cameras and > > > amateur video. And don't get me started on the new iMovie. > > > > > > Rupert > > > http://twittervlog.tv/ > > > > > > On 17-Jun-08, at 1:49 PM, Neil Katz wrote: > > > > > > Neil Katz here, a journalist. I have had very good experiences with > > > the Xacti CG65. Small, cheap, shoots well in low light, and is > > > stable on zoom, and files sizes are small. I did an entire video > > > story for the NY Times with that camera and even snuck a shot > into a > > > report for CBS News on national TV. > > > > > > http://video.on.nytimes.com/? > > > fr_story=74e0011bd397f3fdad54e60c3b52612d009fa8bf > > > Judge image quality for yourself. And keep in mind the NYT site is > > > playing at about half resolution. > > > > > > I have purchased and returned every camera in the Xacti line except > > > the CG65. The others have better specs, but nothing has a better > > > picture. And it fits in your pocket, which means you will get the > > shot. > > > > > > Battery life is poor. Buy three batteries and a quick charger. Use > > > an online site to buy non Sanyo batteries. They run $20/each. > > > > > > The only negative is in order to edit you will have to convert the > > > native mp4 files into DV. Sanyo says you can edit with mp4 files > and > > > technically you can import them into Final Cut Pro. But it doesn't > > > really work, trust me. > > > > > > That conversion process will take about 1 minute per minute of > > > footage. So if you shoot three hours, expect three hours of > > > conversion when you come home. > > > > > > As an aside, working in India, if you don't have Sony, you can't > get > > > it fixed or spare parts, adapters, etc. > > > > > > N > > > > > > --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com > > > <videoblogging%40yahoogroups.com><videoblogging% > 40yahoogroups.com><videoblogging% > > > 40yahoogroups.com>, > > > Rupert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > I agree. I've been using a Canon Ixus 860 (European name for > > > > Powershot, I think) and it shoots beautiful video. I love it. And > > > > it's FANTASTIC in low light. Better than Xacti. But not quite so > > > > good a grip. I think the Xacti pistol grip is the best way to > shoot > > > > - better than the traditional camcorder grip. > > > > > > > > It produces big video files, though, compared to other little > > cameras > > > > I've used - so get yourself an 8GB memory card or two. I found > the > > > > best deals for memory cards online - shops will rip you off. > > > > Rupert > > > > http://twittervlog.tv > > > > > > > > On 12-Jun-08, at 12:48 PM, Jay dedman wrote: > > > > > > > > > I'm heading to India for my honeymoon and the entire summer and > > > > plan to vlog > > > > > and do some > > > > > interviews from there. > > > > > I *do not* plan to bring my macbook. I just want to bring a > > > > firewire or usb > > > > > cable and upload > > > > > at cafes. > > > > > It needs to be small, light and easy to travel with and have > > > > decent sound. > > > > > > > > the canon powershot is actually a great choice. > > > > it has good sound, its small. > > > > > > > > It also records in AVI so a PC in an internet cafe will read > them. > > > > Just use Windows Movie Maker that comes with XP. > > > > should be on most public computers. > > > > > > > > Jay > > > > > > > > -- > > > > http://jaydedman.com > > > > 917 371 6790 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]